2.4.1 Errors in Genital Differentiation

GOAL: To describe the control of sexual differentiation and describe the consequences of defective regulatory mechanisms.
2.4 Objective:
To explain how genetic males and females with normally functioning gonads can have the genitalia and sex characteristic of the opposite sex.
2.4.1 Error in Genital Differentiation (Photo Gallery)

Male Pseudohermaphroditism -What are the consequences of deficient androgen synthesis / action on differentiation and development of the male reproductive tract / sex accessory tissues? -Deficiencies in which steroids biosynthetic enzymes would result in ambiguous external genitalia and male pseudohermaphroditism? -What are the consequences of deficient testosterone in the fetus / at puberty? -What is the most common cause of a deficiency of androgen action? -What are the consequences of deficient androgen action in male and / female? -What are the consequences during fetal development and at puberty of an inability to convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone?

Female Pseudohermaphroditism -Deficiencies of which steroid biosynthetic enzymes in the adrenal cortex result in production of androgens? -What are the five most common deficiencies of steroids biosynthetic enzymes? -What are the consequences of exposure to excess androgens on the reproductive tracts and external genitalia of females? -What are the consequences of steroid biosynthetic enzyme deficiencies on water and electrolyte balance?